gilded » david dobrik au

twenty six

"Can you not grope me? Your dad and his girlfriend are probably doing wholesome couple activities downstairs. And our son is watching!"

"He only has one eye. He probably can't see that well," David smirked, pressing a kiss to the area where my neck met my shoulder. He knew what he was doing with that one, and I hated him for it... but not enough to stop him. "My dad's getting old. Probably losing his hearing."

"You are evil," I sighed, flipping over so I was facing him. "Seriously, you're an evil boy. We're being wholesome tonight."

"Wholesome is so boring, Mona dearest," he sighed, moving his hand from its inappropriate placing to a more comfortable spot on my cheek. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something," I shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet his eyes. "Um... so I've been seeing the doctor that put me on my antidepressants, and he thinks I have reactive attachment disorder."

"Okay. What is that?"

David was always so calm. It was so easy to tell him things. He never made it obvious that I was panicking him, if I was, and I really appreciated that.

"I don't really know," I admitted immediately. "I got really nervous when he started telling me. I think it comes from not having a good support system growing up. People in the foster care system get it a lot, he told me. He said a lot of times, when you have reactive attachment disorder, you either get too reliant on someone or you push people away so they don't get the chance to leave you."

"You know, I'm not a doctor, but that last part does sound like you."

"I know," I sighed, resting my head on my arm. "I'm sorry that you have to put up with me. My brain is seriously fucked."

"You can't apologize for that, Mona. It's not your fault," he moved his hand, which was once resting on my cheek, into my hair, lightly scratching to soothe my nerves. "If it makes you feel any better, we're both fucked. You put up with my issues, and I'll put up with yours, yeah?"

"Yeah. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart," a light smile graced his face, so subtle that it was almost nonexistent. This was my favorite David. Saying things quietly, but not hesitantly, because he truly meant them. "Let's sleep. Unless you want to fuck."

"I don't," I giggled, dropping my head onto his favorite pillow, the one he always let me steal when I slept over. "You're gonna have to turn off the light, love."

"Needy," he teased, standing to turn the light off and then joining me back in the bed, his hand immediately returning to play with my hair. "Goodnight, Mona Lisa."

"Night."

The next few weeks went by smoothly, and soon enough, it was Christmas time, also known as my favorite time ever. Though the past month or so was stressful, what with college applications and the ever present idea that we were about to be adults hanging over our shoulders, there was nothing more soothing than hot chocolate and Christmas lights and smiles and good smells.

"We're still on for tonight, right?" Zane raised his eyebrows at me from across the lunch table. I felt like a shitty person, talking about our plans in front of everyone else, but Zane never seemed to have a problem with it.

"What's tonight?" David squeezed my thigh as he said it. Then I felt even worse.

"We're doing Secret Santa," Zane answered. "Except we're the only ones doing it, so it's not very secret. We're basically drinking eggnog and giving each other our Christmas presents."

Zane was not one to give up tradition, so although his friend group had completely dissolved, he was determined to keep up the Secret Santa tradition. It was the last day of school before break, and we were planning to get shit faced and give each other gifts. Not entirely tradition, but it was Zane's wish, and I granted it.

I couldn't help but think about my last Secret Santa party, when I ended up sobbing at David's instead. That was a turning point in our relationship, for sure. It was weird that we had come so far since then, in just a year.

"Wow, no invite," Corinna raised her eyebrows like she was annoyed, but I knew she was just messing around. "Hurtful, guys."

"It's a tradition. We used to talk shit about all of you at these parties," Zane explained casually. "You can't come now. It'll mess everything up."

"We could do another one, or something," I added after a bit of an awkward silence. "Start a new tradition. I don't know. I'm always down for a party."

"My dad will be out of town for the next two weeks," David said. "We could do something at my house."

"He always leaves on Christmas," Gabbie pointed out. Anyone that didn't know David wouldn't have seen the change in demeanor, but I did.

"My mom was a Christmas person. I don't think he likes being home," David answered. I gently placed my hand on top of his, smiling softly at him.

"You're going to the Killenger's then? With Sam?" Todd asked, and David shook his head.

"He's coming to my house," I answered for him, shutting the group up. I wasn't too sure if David told them that he actually went to my house last year too, but he had informed me that he used to lie and say he was with Sam on Christmas so no one would feel bad for him. "Him and Willy."

"Willy can come?" David's eyes lit up, and I frowned because I couldn't necessarily say yes and mean it. I said it anyway, though, just to see David's smile. "Sweet. Family Christmas!"

"The picture you posted with Willy was so fucking cute," Gabbie smiled almost reminiscently. We all need to meet him.

"Christmas party," David answered in response, and she nodded.

At that, we all once again dissolved into our own little worlds. David and I talked about his lack of plans for the evening, which I was sure he exaggerated to make me feel guilty for not inviting him to our Secret Santa party.

I leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I'm going to be drunk, but if you want to pick me up from Zane's and take me back to your house at like one, trust me, you're more than welcome to."

David couldn't even hide the smirk on his face.

I lurked and got my feelins hurt :) finishing out hot girl summer in the best way possible :)

xoxo abby